Discover the latest insights on osteoporosis management from Saudi physicians’ perspective, unraveling the quality of current practices and the challenges faced in this comprehensive cross-sectional study.
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Osteoporosis as Perceived by Saudi Physicians: A Cross-Sectional Study of Quality of Practice and Current Barriers in Management.
Alahmadi et al., Cureus 2023
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.49578
What’s New: The study provides insights into the current state of osteoporosis (OP) management among physicians in Saudi Arabia, highlighting knowledge gaps and barriers to care.
Importance: With the high lifetime costs associated with OP in Saudi Arabia, understanding physician practices and barriers is crucial for improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.
Contribution to Literature: This research identifies specific areas where physician knowledge and practice regarding OP can be improved, such as risk factor recognition, bone density assessment, and the use of fracture risk assessment tools.
Summary: A survey involving 177 physicians across various specialties in Saudi Arabia revealed that only 18.1% recognized all OP risk factors, and 24.9% knew all indications for bone density assessment. Access to central DEXA scans was limited to 49.4% of participants, although over 80% conducted comprehensive lab workups. While 68.4% were aware of the FRAX tool, only 53.7% used it. The main barriers were lack of physician awareness (80.2%) and patient awareness (63.6%). Specialties significantly influenced awareness and use of densitometry certification and FRAX (P-value < 0.0001 and P-value = 0.0001, respectively). The study indicates a need for improved OP management practices among Saudi physicians.